Inspection Procedures Research Articles

Metrological integration and automation of surface topography measuring instruments on cobots

Integrating surface topography measuring instruments on cobots allows fast and automated inspection procedure, while reaching undercuts and overhanging surfaces typical of freeform components. A methodology is proposed to achieve such integration within a metrological framework, while targeting extended surface measurements. A machine learning algorithm is developed based on Bayesian approaches to optimize registration and stitching of the measured field-of-views. Nominal cobot positions are exploited for initialization, and calibrated motion axes metrological characteristics are used to bound the parameter space search domain. The methodology is demonstrated on a custom-developed system, integrating a focus variation Alicona IF-SensorR25 and a Yaskawa Motoman-HC20DTP cobot.

Probabilistic inspection planning for fatigue cracks in floating production, storage, and offloading units

Probabilistic inspection planning for fatigue cracks in floating production, storage, and offloading units

Defect Detection Image Processing for Drone Inspection on Wide-Body Aircraft Surface

The dependence on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has greatly increased in many sectors around the globe. UAVs are in high demand and their technology is developing quickly, due to their ability to handle a variety of issues in a sophisticated manner. UAVs deployment in the aviation industry is still in the trial phase, thus certain adjustments must be made to make sure the UAVs meet safety standards. Safety is the most important factor in the aviation sector since it involves people’s lives. UAVs are required to make the maintenance of an aircraft more efficient. For instance, UAVs are capable of replacing the labor-intensive inspection procedure with conducive and safe regulation. Additional tools or sensors need to be added to the UAVs system to ensure the objective of applying UAVs is achieved. The camera mounted on the drone is able to enhance the functionality and widen the range of applications of UAVs. This thesis presents the UAV system that is able to assist during an aircraft inspection. The camera mounted on the drone is installed with an image processing program to identify the defect caused by a lightning strike.

Перерегистрация членов ВКП(б) как форма проверки их лояльности советской власти на примерах Краснодарского края. 1943-1944 гг.

The article is devoted to the disclosure of the activities of party organizations of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks in Kuban during the Great Patriotic War, mainly after the liberation of the Krasnodar region from the German invaders from January to autumn 1943. One of the tasks was to resume after the occupation the structure of party organizations of cities and districts. District committees of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (b), party organizations at district executive committees, cells in organizations, institutions, enterprises, collective farms, village councils, primary party organizations in district departments of the NKGB and NKVD were being formed. The source base of the article was unpublished archival documents of 1943 - early 1944, stored in the Center for Documentation of Contemporary History of Krasnodar Region (CDCHKR) and representing a top-secret correspondence between the secretaries of the district party committees and the regional committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (b). The main contents of the correspondence are materials of inspections of communists who, at the end of July and beginning of August 1942, when the unexpected and rapid attack of German troops on the cities and districts of the Kuban began, did not evacuate to the Soviet rear for various reasons. The stay of the Communists in the occupied territory became for them (as well as for the entire population, of which they were a part) a severe ordeal. Many were forced to conceal their affiliation with the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (Bolsheviks) and destroyed their party cards. Others took jobs in enterprises controlled by the German administration, and some took the path of cooperation with the Germans. Already after the expulsion of the Nazi troops, their allies and collaborators, they were re-registered in the party and were obliged to undergo humiliating inspection procedures. All of them, without exception, wrote explanatory statements about their stay in the occupation and their occupation in the enemy-occupied territory, were massively expelled from the Party for cowardice and loss or deliberate destruction of their Party card. As a rule, most of them had no real guilt. The article uses a micro-historical approach, where the object of study is local historical events, allowing a deeper understanding of the depth of drama in the lives of people of this difficult period, accused undeservedly of collaboration when the Soviet authorities were restoring the former order. In the course of checks on loyalty to the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (Bolsheviks) and the country, criminal acts of some Communists, which were not subject to forgiveness, also surfaced.

Overview of a Gas Turbine Blades Power Plant

Power plants that employ turbine blades to generate electricity usually need them to have certain qualities, like high strength, fatigue and corrosion resistance, and temperature tolerance. Super alloys and ceramic composites are common materials used in their construction. Defects or imperfections that might impair the performance and lifetime of turbine blades are a typical issue in their production. Casting flaws, material inclusions, and inadequate cooling during manufacturing are a few examples of these faults. Power plants use strict inspection procedures and quality control measures to reduce these problems and guarantee the dependability of their turbine blades. Improvements in material composition and design are usually required when changing the materials used in turbine blades to boost their effectiveness and performance. Depending on the particular use and intended result, turbine blades can undergo a variety of alterations. Advanced alloy material modifications, coatings, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), airfoil design optimization, cooling technologies, and tip modifications are a few examples of typical modifications. It's important to note that the specific modifications applied to turbine blades can vary widely depending on the type of turbine (gas, steam, wind, etc.), the operating conditions, and the goals of the modification.

Strategies for Enhancing Food Safety-A Policy Appraisal in Punjab, Pakistan

Ensuring the security and safety of the food supply across Pakistan is a complex challenge that demands continual evaluation as well as robust policy responses. This policy paper outlines a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges to enhance food safety across the province of Punjab, Pakistan. In this regard, this research takes into account a number of factors, such as international cooperation, technological developments, regulatory frameworks, and stakeholder roles. It also explores the dynamic nature of food safety risks, highlighting the necessity for proactive and adaptable policies to counter new hazards. A complex web of interrelated factors, from farming and food processing methods to factors impacting food distribution and consumption, define the comprehensive landscape of food safety. Regulatory frameworks are essential for reducing risks at every stage of this spectrum. This paper assesses the efficacy of the regulatory body, that is, Punjab Food Authority, in ensuring the safety of the food through an examination of its inspection procedures. This also involves a review of the current working of this authority, aiming to identify gaps for future improvements.

Importance and Benefits of Green Audits to Education Institutions and Industrial Sectors

Green auditing is a vital process that ensures the diversity of plants on an organization's campus, reducing ecological pollution and soil destruction. It is beneficial intended for biodiversity protection, landscape management, irrigation/economic water utilization, and maintaining natural topography. Green audits are conducted at educational institutions and industrial sectors using the National Building Code (NBC) Part 11 - A 360° Risk Assessment Approach to Sustainability checklist. The importance of green auditing lies in its ability to create an eco-friendly environment and encourage green initiatives was studied at Nehru Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. The results revealed that the campus has sufficient number of flora and fauna and established various gardens such as terrace, herbal, kitchen, zodiac, and decorative gardens. All the plants were labelled properly with common and botanical names and used biofertilizers, organic and green manures for the cultivation of plants. Agrochemicals and chemical fertilizers were minimally used to save the soil health and to protect the ecosystem from soil and water pollutions. The benefits of green audit included understanding the organization's internal and external green campus inspection and execution procedures, creating data on plant quantities, recommending biofertilizers, conserving economically valuable, rare, and endangered species, documenting rainwater collection systems, water reservoirs, percolation ponds, and irrigation technologies to the plants were well understood by the Oragnization with respect to the green audit.

Development of a Delphi Based Ultrasonic Testing Expert System

A person who has the expertise to operate ultrasonic testing in the field of ultrasonic called experts. Currently very difficult to obtain an ultrasonic expert in an industry. For the expert knowledge of ultrasonic testing is adopted in the computer system. This system called Expert System Type of Disability Determination Using Ultrasonic Welding The Delphi Program. This expert system is used to determine the classification of weld defects in determining the acceptance / rejection of defective welds. In the expert system can also be used to determine the type of weld defects based on defect indications obtained. In addition to the expert system there is an explanation of ultrasonic, calibration procedures and procedures for ultrasonic inspection. In the expert system is the input data that shows an ultrasonic flaw manually entered into the computer. In building an expert system software to use Delphi 7 and Inno Compiler Set Up the installer. Expert systems can be used by people who are just learning the ultrasonic as a tool to determine the acceptance / rejection of defective welds. The results showed that the Expert System Determining the type of defect indications welding able to identify all the defective welds of the inspection. Acceptance of material is observed in accordance with AWS D1.1 acceptance

Stress-Based Lattice Structure Design for a Motorbike Application.

The "drive by wire" mechanism for managing the throttle is not applied to every modern motorcycle, but it is often managed through a steel wire. Here, there is a cam on the throttle control. Its shape allows the throttle opening to be faster or slower and its angle of rotation, required for full opening, to be greater or less. The maximum angle a rider's wrist can withstand depends on numerous musculoskeletal mobility factors, often limited by falls or surgery. Using a Progrip knob with interchangeable cams allows the customization of a special cam profile, to ensure the best engine response to throttle rotation and ergonomics for the rider. The use of FEA software and lattice structures, allows to realize a lightweight and efficient design, targeted for fabrication with additive manufacturing technologies. The cam was manufactured by exploiting MSLA technology. Finally, a dimensional inspection procedure was performed before assembly. The main result is to have obtained a lighter and cheaper component than the original. This study has allowed the design of a mechanical component consisting of innovative shape, light weight, and ergonomics. Furthermore, it demonstrates the effectiveness in the use of lattice structures to enable weight optimization of a component while minimizing the increase in its compliance.

Visual Inspection Of Structures - Primary Aspect Of Structural Health Assessment

This article focuses on importance of visual inspection to observe conditions that can lead to structural and non-structural failures in civil construction. The subject article is based on structural failure reports information, condition assessment in generalized manner and practices which are being accepted in normal practices. Visual inspection procedures may help to identify the structural deficiencies in particular structural elements prior to becoming critical to challenge overall stability of integrated structure. Only generalized dangers can be revealed in visual inspections of the deterioration of structures. Experienced structural engineer is required for complete analysis of major structural defects.

Practical procedures of faults and aging inspection to Photovoltaic system using time domain Reflectometry

Photovoltaic (PV) technology has emerged as a promising and significant renewable energy source in recent decades. However, the assessment of the on-site power generation performance of a PV system is often hindered by inline faults. Additionally, the degradation of the PV module's performance over time indirectly affects the operation of the power conditioner, leading to a decrease in the overall conversion efficiency of the power supply. Therefore, the accurate and efficient inspection of faults and aging status in series-connected PV modules is essential for ensuring reliable operation. This study proposes an improved Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technology as a standard inspection method. The TDR technology is initially employed to detect both open and shorted-circuits in series-connected PV panels with the suggested breakpoint simulation. Furthermore, the proposed TDR impedance log method enhanced the evaluation of the PV modules at different aging degrees using various monocrystalline silicon modules for practical verification. The study provides TDR as a comprehensive and effective technique for simultaneously identifying faults and inspecting the aging of PV systems.

Fabric Defect Analysis In Textile Manufacturing: Evaluating Methods For Generic And Jacquard Fabrics

Regarding maintaining product quality and satisfying customer expectations, fabric defect analysis is vital in textile manufacturing. This research provides a comprehensive assessment of many techniques used for analyzing and pinpointing flaws in standard and Jacquard textiles. This study considers machine vision systems and AI-based algorithms as two examples of cutting-edge automation alongside more conventional human inspection procedures. Manual inspection techniques are extensively reviewed in the first section, with particular emphasis on these techniques' inherent subjectivity and resource inefficiency. More objective and effective defect detection techniques are highlighted as a solution to the problems caused by human bias. The research then looks into automated methods, examining how recent developments in image processing, computer vision, and pattern recognition have the potential to greatly improve the accuracy and speed with which defects may be detected. The major emphasis of this investigation is the use of AI, namely machine learning and deep learning models, for fabric defect identification. This demonstrates how AI may revolutionize textile manufacturing by automating flaw identification and categorization processes. Accuracy, efficiency, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and adaptation to varied fabric compositions, such as basic and complicated Jacquard textiles, are only some aspects considered throughout the evaluation. In addition, the research addresses the problems and opportunities in the field of fabric defect analysis right now. The paper presents prospective improvements, such as hybrid methods and real-time monitoring systems, to solve current constraints and pave the way for a more robust defect analysis framework. These innovations aim to contribute to sustainable practices and customer happiness in the textile manufacturing industry by fostering effective quality monitoring and production optimization. In conclusion, this study provides a thorough comprehension of fabric defect analysis procedures, which is helpful for professionals and academics in the field. The results fuel the never-ending development of quality assurance techniques, resulting in improvements that raise standards, shorten production times, and give the textile business a fighting chance in the market.

A Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) Framework for Inspection and Maintenance Intervention in Reinforced Concrete Bridges

Reinforced concrete bridges (RCBs) are essential elements of transportation infrastructure, necessitating ongoing inspection and maintenance to guarantee their durability and structural integrity. This research aims to develop an integrated framework for inspection and maintenance intervention in reinforced concrete bridges (RCB), leveraging the potential of as-is Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM). The methodology begins by converting 2D drawings into a 3D as-is BrIM model, facilitating a more accurate representation of the bridge’s current state. This is followed by creating a comprehensive bridge inventory, allowing for meticulous tracking of vital components and their condition. Subsequently, inspection data are acquired using advanced sensing technologies, enabling real-time data collection and analysis. Structural defects are modeled on the as-is BrIM model to enhance diagnostic capabilities, providing a visual representation of areas requiring intervention. The framework also makes it easier to create reports, ensuring that important information is efficiently shared with the right people. A thorough case study using a concrete bridge is used to show the effectiveness of the created framework. The BrIM framework’s potential to improve the bridge inspection and maintenance process was demonstrated by integrating inspection reporting with BrIM, which produced encouraging results. The research contribution to the body of knowledge is significant as the developed framework considerably enhances the administration of bridge inspection and maintenance procedures, resulting in greater efficacy by offering a thorough and clear picture of the bridge’s current state.

A time-varying Copula-based approach to quantify the effects of antecedent drought on hot extremes

Hot extremes may adversely impact human health and agricultural production. Owing to anthropogenic and climate changes, the close and dynamic interaction between drought and hot extremes in most areas of China need to be revisited from the perspective of nonstationarity. This study therefore proposes a time-varying Copula-based model to describe the nonstationary dependence structure of summer extreme temperature (SET) and antecedent soil moisture condition to quantify the dynamic risk of hot extremes conditioned on dry/wet condition. A general statistical inspection procedure which was composed of maximum likelihood (ML)-based estimation, nonstationary Goodness-of-fit (GOF) tests, the log likelihood ratio (LR) tests and minimum corrected Akaike information criterion-based selection was promoted to select the best-fitted nonstationary models efficiently. This study proposed a new approach to identify the soil moisture driving law over extreme temperature from the point view of tail monotonicity and nonstationary risk assessment. Owing to the LTI-RTD (left tail increasing and right tail decreasing) tail monotonicity for dependence structure of these two extremes derived from most areas, two kinds of the driving laws of soil moisture over SET were detected. Because of the spatiotemporal divergence of sensitivity index derived from tail monotonicity (SITM), we can conclude that the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of response degree of ET over the variations of antecedent dry/wet conditions is evident. Incorporation of nonstationarity and tail monotonicity helps identify the changes of driving mechanism (laws) between soil moisture and hot extremes.

Radiomics in the Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

Gastric cancer is a malignant cancerous lesion with high morbidity and mortality. Preoperative diagnosis of gastric cancer is challenging owing to the presentation of atypical symptoms and the diversity of occurrence of focal gastric lesions. Therefore, an endoscopic biopsy is used to diagnose gastric cancer in combination with imaging examination for a comprehensive evaluation of the local tumor range (T), lymph node status (N), and distant metastasis (M). The resolution of imaging examinations has significantly improved with the technological advancement in this sector. However, imaging examinations can barely provide valuable information. In clinical practice, an examination method that can provide information on the biological behavior of the tumor is critical to strategizing the treatment plan. Artificial intelligence (AI) allows for such an inspection procedure by reflecting the histological features of lesions using quantitative information extracted from images. Currently, AI is widely employed across various medical fields, especially in the processing of medical images. The basic application process of radiomics has been described in this study, and its role in clinical studies of gastric cancer has been discussed.

Causes of Post-Mortem Carcass and Organ Condemnations and Economic Loss Assessment in a Cattle Slaughterhouse.

The study was undertaken to investigate the main causes of carcass and organ condemnations, as well as to estimate the financial losses suffered by a cattle slaughterhouse. In this regard, an active abattoir survey, based on standard post-mortem inspection procedures for meat, was conducted on 151,741 cattle, from January 2021 to December 2022. Overall, 13.27% (n = 20,125) of the carcasses expressed lesions or pathological conditions and, out of them, 1.15% (n = 1738) were totally confiscated, while another 12.12% (n = 18,387) were partially admitted for human consumption. In the case of organs, the general inspection data reveal that 12.28% (n = 18,630), 7.56% (n = 11,477), 1.89% (n = 2862), and 0.27% (n = 412) of the examined liver, lung, heart, and kidney specimens presented one or more types of abnormalities. In addition, regarding the types of specific pathological findings, dystrophies/anomalies (69.8%), circulatory disorders (40.6%), fecal contamination (60.9%), and suspected bacterial/viral infections showed a dominant occurrence in the liver, lung, heart, and kidneys, respectively. Consequently, the total direct financial losses resulting from edible part condemnation over the two years was estimated at EUR 4,021,717.3, which represents 1.17% of the total achievable net revenue without carcass and organ condemnation. Of this, EUR 3,661,400.4 (1.07%) and EUR 360,316.9 (8.73%) was related to carcass and organ condemnation, respectively. The study results demonstrate that the post-mortem inspection of meat at the slaughterhouse level plays a crucial role in identifying pathological lesions, in addition to some other issues, such as fecal contamination or non-compliant laboratory results, relevant to both public health and economic factors.

Fine‐grained crack segmentation for high‐resolution images via a multiscale cascaded network

AbstractHigh‐resolution (HR) crack images offer more detailed information for assessing structural conditions compared to low‐resolution (LR) images. This wealth of detail proves indispensable in bolstering the safety of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)‐based inspection procedures and elevating the precision of small crack segmentation. Nonetheless, achieving a balance between segmentation accuracy and GPU memory consumption poses a substantial challenge for deep learning models when processing HR crack images. To overcome this challenge, a novel “HR crack segmentation framework” (HRCSF) is proposed, specifically designed to meticulously segment crack images with resolutions exceeding 4K. First, a multiscale crack feature extraction network (MsCFEN) was proposed with the embedment of the strip pooling operation to enhance the representation of the transverse and longitudinal crack pixels from the complex backgrounds. Subsequently, two cascaded operations were tailored to MsCFEN, enabling a comprehensive refinement process that incorporates both global and local aspects. Furthermore, to fully leverage the potential of each proposed component in the refinement process, the complete architecture was trained using a loss function with embedded boundary optimization. Conclusively, a UAV‐based case study was conducted on a real bridge in Changsha, demonstrating HRCSF's practicability in segmenting HR crack images. The implementation of HRCSF allows the UAV to perform crack inspection effectively from a distance of 3 m away from the girder, resulting in a significant 50% reduction in inspection time compared to LR segmentation methods while maintaining high detection accuracy.

A decay prediction model to minimise the risk of failure in timber balconies

The aim of this paper is the prediction of the life expectancy of timber balconies to minimise their risk of failure. The life expectancy is estimated considering the effects of fungal attacks on the timber structural elements. The prediction of life expectancy of timber components is set up through (i) the analysis of the state of the art, (ii) the definition of risk classes and decision trees, (iii) the prediction of the decay, (iv) the definition of an inspection procedure, and (v) the development of an adaptive monitoring plan. The the state-of-the-art analysis of the construction details that most affect durability allows for defining the risk classes and decision trees that address all the possible scenarios where water can penetrate the construction detail. The decision trees associate one of the risk classes to the detail under analysis providing a straightforward indication about the exposure of the timber structural elements to decay due to fungal attack. The allocation to a risk class allows the evaluation of the main parameters of a decay prediction model based on functions for estimating the decay rate that are available in the literature. The decay predicted and the inspection results provide the input data to the adaptive motoring plan, defining an efficient program of inspections. Case studies were selected to validate the results of the decay prediction on the outcomes of onsite inspections and to provide sample data for setting the monitoring plan.

Green consideration in a closed-loop supply chain model with imperfect inspection under learning impact

This study investigates a multi-echelon closed-loop supply chain model integrating learning impact with a single producer, single retailer, and single collector. Retail pricing, green innovation, and marketing efforts are assumed to have a linear relationship with end-user demand. The return of rejected goods occurs at random and is subject to an imperfect inspection procedure that is vulnerable to two different types of classification error. An S-shaped learning curve is considered to soothe the inspection process which is subject to inaccuracy. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the implications of the suggested model in order to achieve a goal that benefits both the consignor and the consignee. It is investigated whether the learning effect can outweigh the loss even when the inspection error has a detrimental effect on supply chain earnings. To identify the crucial parameters that can spark some truly exceptional managerial ideas, a sensitivity analysis is carried out.

Evaluasi Kebijakan Pengawasan Keuangan Desa Pasca Implementasi Peraturan Menteri Dalam Negeri Nomor 73 Tahun 2020 Tentang Pengawasan Pengelolaan Keuangan Desa

Permendagri Number 73 of 2020 was established as an effort to strengthen village financial management. Law Number 6 of 2014 concerning Villages and their implementing regulations do not clearly and explicitly regulate the format and form of village financial supervision, resulting in several gaps in village financial supervision. The implementation of village financial supervision is not running as it should be due to the limited resources of the Regency/City APIP and the IT-based supervision system that is not yet optimal. At this time the Regency/City APIP in its PKPT still uses the sample method to carry out village financial supervision in one year and is post-audit in nature which is not in line with the spirit of APIP supervision which emphasizes when the activity is taking place. A critical review of Permendagri Number 73 of 2020 found two things that are research questions. First, this provision was not implemented properly by the Regency/Municipal APIP with consideration of limited resources and supervisory information technology. Second, the inspection program and procedures as stipulated in Permendagri Number 73 of 2020 are too detailed and detailed which requires audit implementers to go to the field (field audit), while APIP implementation can be carried out online because the Village Government has implemented an IT-based village finance application. The results of this research will answer some of the weaknesses of Permendagri Number 73 of 2020 as a Policy Brief to the Minister of Home Affairs to improve regulations.